Bus Tours Magazine May/June 2015

Shows andEntertainment

page 14

Faith-Based Tourspage 18

Union County, Ohiopage 22

Volume XXXV, Number 6 • May/June, 2015

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��The beautiful Shrine of Our Lady ofGuadalupe in La Crosse, Wiscon-sin, brings the faithful from all overthe country to worship, pray and reflect in a serene environment. BOB

METCALF/BOB METCALF COMMERCIAL

PHOTOGRAPHY. COPYRIGHT: SHRINE OF

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, LA CROSSE,WISCONSIN.

Bus Tours Magazine / May, 2015 • 3

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Be sure to include a show or two foryour group to enjoy. They are a greatway to kick back and be entertained.

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Enjoy some Southern hospitality andenchanting attractions when you driveyour bus away to Dixieland.

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contents MAY/JUNE2015

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Oregon Tourism Commission Relaunches 7 Wonders

of Oregon Campaign

The Oregon Tourism Commission is encouraging visitors to dis-

cover “The 7 Wonders of Oregon.” The 7 Wonders campaign features

seven iconic natural wonders of Oregon as the focus of destination

travel: the Oregon Coast, Mt. Hood, the Columbia River Gorge, Crater

Lake, the Painted Hills, the Wallowas and Smith Rock.

"When we launched the 7 Wonders campaign, our primary objec-

tive was to positively impact the state's economy and job numbers,

something we always strive to do in our work at Travel Oregon," said

Todd Davidson, Travel Oregon CEO. "Due to the resounding success

of the campaign, we believe we'll see even greater economic impact

. . . in the coming years."

Visitors are invited to share their photos on social media using the

hashtag #traveloregon. The best of these images will be showcased

on Travel Oregon content channels (TravelOregon.com, Facebook

and Instagram) to inspire others long after the paid media portion of

the campaign concludes. In 2014, people tagged more than 86,000

photos with the #traveloregon hashtag.

Brinton Museum to Open Forrest

E. Mars Jr. Building

The Brinton Museum will open its new state-of-the-art Forrest E.

Mars, Jr. Building June 15, according to Ken Schuster, chief curator

and executive director. Located on the 620-acre historic Quarter Cir-

cle A Ranch in Big Horn, Wyoming, just 12 miles south of Sheridan,

the new 24,000-square-foot $15.8-million, eco-conscious building

will house one of the most significant and extensive Western and

American Indian Art collections in the Rocky Mountain West. It will

also house the new Brinton Bistro, which offers indoor and outdoor

dining and 180-degree views of the Bighorn Mountains that are among

the most picturesque in the state.

Climate-controlled galleries display works from Remington to

Russell and Borein to Reiss, along with the largest Hans Kleiber col-

lection in the world and the returning Gallatin Collection: more than

100 historic treasures of American Indian art and artifacts. Recently

gifted to The Brinton Museum, the Gallatin Collection has been on

loan to the Art Institute of Chicago for the last 40 years. More fre-

quent and extensive contemporary exhibits also now have a home

on the third floor of the new building, near the bistro.

Boots, Brushes, and the Bighorn Mountains will be one of the inau-

gural exhibitions celebrating The Brinton Museum’s new Forrest E.

Mars, Jr. Building. It includes works by nationally- and internation-

ally-recognized artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries –

including Thomas Moran, Frederic Remington and Charles Russell,

as well as important loan material and paintings and prints from the

permanent Brinton collection. The third-floor reception gallery will

feature a new 46-piece collection of vibrant impressionist paintings

by contemporary western artist Gregory Packard. Both inaugural

shows will open June 15 and go on until September 7, 2015.

The Brinton Museum is inspired by Bradford Brinton’s original col-

lection of American Indian and Western art and artifacts assembled

in the early 1900s. For the full Brinton Museum experience, guests

are invited to tour Bradford Brinton’s original ranch house, where

most of his original collection continues to be displayed as he intended.

“The museum sits on a historic ranch that offers an authentic view

into the life and lifestyle of Brinton, a western gentleman and art col-

lector,” said Schuster. “Since 1961, the Brinton Museum has endeav-

ored to become one of Wyoming’s top cultural institutions – showing

some of the most celebrated art depicting the beauty and culture of the

West. Our new Forrest E. Mars, Jr. building allows us to better show-

case our extensive collection of American Indian and Western Art pieces,

along with our newly expanded collections and contemporary exhibits.”

The new museum will open to the public on June 15. Hours will

be 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m.

on Sundays. Tickets are available by phoning (307) 672-3173. Visit

thebrintonmuseum.org to learn more.

4 • Bus Tours Magazine / May, 2015

Buzz on the BusNews and notes for bus tour planners


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Meet Real Amish Country

Housewives

Television fads come and go, but actual Amish ways have existed

for centuries. Groups can put aside the whims of what they see on TV

and meet real Amish Country housewives in northern Indiana. Groups

travel along the nationally-recognized Heritage Trail and byways to

meet interesting women who do household chores without electrical

appliances, run home businesses without modern technology and do

it all with finesse and conviction

to their beliefs.

At the tidy Jones’ family farm-

stead on the outskirts of Mid-

dlebury, Indiana, groups meet

Elaine who greets them warmly.

Elaine is widely known among

her Amish neighbors for her

prowess as a baker – especially

cinnamon rolls. The fragrance

of cinnamon laced delights

wafts through the room as they

learn her secrets to baking ten-

der cinnamon rolls. Of course,

sampling these treats is always the most anticipated part of the visit.

Watching Carolyn Yoder busily preparing an original Amish “Haystack”

lunch makes it easy to appreciate that she is an expert in the kitchen as

well as running her Yoder's Homestyle Dining in-Home meal business. As

groups sit down and prepare to eat, she shares the story of the “Haystack”

that is a favorite among the Amish for fundraisers and community sup-

pers. Ingredients can be as varied as diners’ palates as they build a

“Haystack” from the bottom up with the items they enjoy.

The next stop, Sonshine Baskets, is just a few miles away. Hand-

woven baskets for almost every purpose pack this shop located on

a family farm. Here Anna Yoder expertly explains the process of turn-

ing plain reed into something of beauty and function as she and her

family members demonstrate the techniques. Anna is philosophical

about her family business and often comments, “We weave our way

through life one day at a time.”

Time seems to roll back nearly a century when the motorcoach

pulls up to a white clapboard Amish schoolhouse with a buggy hitched

outside. A cheery Amish woman bustles out to invite group mem-

bers inside to sit at desks arranged in tidy rows facing a black chalk-

board. The Amish woman is the teacher who talks about the daily

school routine and how she efficiently manages to teach multiple

grades in one room. If group members behave, she may even reward

each with a whoopie pie as an after school treat.

“Real Amish Country Housewives” is a unique, step-on guided

tour that offers groups plenty of memorable experiences. At the end

of the tour groups go home with a renewed respect for the Amish

women in northern Indiana who may live a simple life, yet they are

anything but simple.

To find out more or plan a personalized itinerary phone Sonya

Nash, CTIS, Elkhart County, Indiana Convention and Visitors Bureau,

at (800) 262-8161 or e-mail [email protected].

Michael Jackson Tribute Show,

MJ LIVE, Opens in Las

Vegas’ Stratosphere Theater

MJ LIVE, the world’s most successful Michael Jackson tribute show,

opened at its new home in the Stratosphere Theater on March 30.

Shows are performed seven nights a week at 7 p.m. Tickets, priced

at $49.95, $59.95, $69.95 and $79.95 plus tax and applicable fees, can

be purchased online at lvticketsnow.com, at StratosphereHotel.com,

at the Stratosphere Ticket Center, or by phoning (702) 380-7777.

MJ LIVE is the number one Michael Jackson tribute show in the

world showcasing the energy, excitement, spectacle and pure joy of

this legendary superstar and his music. Experience this awesome,

theatrical stage production with its powerful sound, spectacular light-

ing, visual effects, team of dancers and live band on stage taking audi-

ences back to when the King of Pop ruled the charts – along with the

Michael Jackson tribute artist’s spot-on breathtaking impersonations,

performed by rotating impersonators Justin Dean, Jalles Franca and

Tony Kouns.

Sing along to many of Jackson’s biggest hits presented all on one

stage, including “Bad,” “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Dangerous,” “Smooth

Criminal,” “Black & White,” “Thriller,” “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough,”

and many more. MJ LIVE also includes a Jackson 5 segment (“I’ll Be

There,” “I Want You Back”), inspired by the iconic television show Soul

Train.

San Francisco Ferry Building

Once Again Adorned in

Lights As It Was in 1915

One of San Francisco's most treasured landmarks “the Ferry Build-

ing ˆ is once again adorned in lights with the numbers "1915" boldly

illuminated on its tower, another special event as part of the centen-

nial celebration of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition

(PPIE100).

Several hundred World's Fair admirers, dignitaries and historians,

many dressed in 1915 attire, were entertained by San Francisco rag-

time singers as the Ferry Building Tower was re-lit in March to appear

as fairgoers would have seen it in 1915 when arriving in San Fran-

cisco, many by ferry, to attend the World's Fair.

"The Ferry Building at the Port of San Francisco is a shining jewel

welcoming visitors and residents to our city and our world-class water-


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CASH INCENTIVES

NEW FOR 2015...

MAKE

“NOLA bucks”IN NEW ORLEANS

There is something to discover every day of the week in New Orleans. To help groups discover the city from Sunday through Thursday, the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau has

launched the NOLA Bucks Group Incentive Program.

Qualifying bookings* of 10 or more rooms can be eligible for cash back.

*Cash incentive applies to new groups of 10 rooms or more, staying minimum of two nights. Incentive payment will not apply to Friday or Saturday nights. Black-out dates may apply.

Program subject to change.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON REQUIREMENTS, VISIT

NEWORLEANSCVB.COM/NOLABUCKS

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VisitWisconsin’s

#1 MustSee Live

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front," said Mayor Ed Lee. "As part of the cen-

tennial celebration of the San Francisco

Panama-Pacific International Exposition, we

celebrate the Ferry Building's important role

in welcoming millions of visitors who arrived

in San Francisco by ferry for the World's Fair."

The lights will illuminate the Ferry Build-

ing tower through December 4, 2015, the day

the World's Fair closed a century ago.

"Through the generosity of fair admirers

and supporters we are thrilled to bring a piece

of the World's Fair back to San Francisco in

such a spectacular way," said Donna Ewald

Huggins. "This shining beacon will be a con-

stant reminder to visitors and residents of

the many amazing centennial events and

exhibits they can experience throughout the

year."

Bay Area philanthropist Tad Taube added,

"The 100th anniversary of the 1915 Panama-

Pacific International Exposition ̃ which was

a citywide commemoration that put San

Francisco on the world map ̃ is cause for cel-

ebration, and we are doing just that with light

and splendor across our beautiful city. Our

work with Bay Lights inspired us to also

become involved in the Centennial festivi-

ties of lighting the Ferry Building and Palace

of Fine Arts."

The World's Fair celebrated San Francis-

co's recovery from the 1906 earthquake and

its emergence as a center of world trade. Built

in 1898, the Ferry Building was one of the

few structures that amazingly did not suffer

seriously damage during the 1906 earth-

quake. In 1915, the Ferry Building served as

a vital transportation hub, helping welcome

more than 19 million people who came to

San Francisco to attend the World's Fair.

Throughout the Exposition, its tower was

festooned with lights and a beacon pro-

claiming "1915" to visitors on both sides of

the Bay.

In conjunction with the February 20th

Centennial anniversary of the 1915 World's

Fair opening, Mayor Lee kicked off a year-

long celebration of PPIE by officially re-

opening the doors of the Palace of Fine Arts

to the public during PPIE100 Community

Day, which drew more than 10,000 visi-

tors. Inside the Palace, which is open to the

public throughout the year, is Innovation

Hangar, a unique social innovation space

designed to be a place where thinkers,

doers and critics can come together under

one roof to facilitate connections, ideas

and investments in a way that simply can-

not happen in the virtual world. The Cali-

fornia Historical Society is also featuring

a 10,000-square-foot exhibit City Rising:

San Francisco and the 1915 World's Fair that

shares the rich and remarkable history of

the PPIE.

Just a few blocks from the Ferry Building,

visitors can also experience the amazing his-

tory of the World's Fair with the California

Historical Society's full City Rising exhibition

at its 678 Mission Street headquarters. Open

through January 2016, the exhibition is a

stunning jewel-box show, highlighting the

Fair's history, beauty, complexity, that

includes many artifacts, memorabilia and

film from the World's Fair. �


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Day One - Mississippi River bridge - Maple Island Park with a dam nestled in the center of downtown - Linden Hill Historic Mansions tours - Rosenmeier Home Historic tours - Pine Grove Zoo - Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site

Day Two - MN Military Museum (Camp Ripley) - MN Fishing Museum - Vintage Courthouse tours Little Falls is Located Two Hours North from the Twin Cities Area on the Bank of the Mississippi

For personalized tours please contact:Little Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau606 1st Street SE | Little Falls, Mn 563451.800.325.5916 | www.littlefallsmn.com

Little Falls is the Heart of Central Minnesota…Where the Mississippi Pauses

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Step back in time and visitAdsmore, a living house

museum. Leave the presentbehind and enter into an era of

top hats and fans, graphophones, lavender scented

sheets, elegant china and crystal, and button shoes.

Adsmore, meticulously restored,reflects the lifestyle of the

prominent Smith-Garret family atthe close of the “Golden Age.”

Guided ToursTuesday-Saturday 11 AM to 4 PM

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General Jackson Showboat

At 300 feet long, the General Jackson

Showboat is one of Nashville’s most visible

and popular attractions. Offering year-round

cruises that include first-class entertainment,

delicious meals and views of Nashville not

found anywhere else, thousands of visitors

make General Jackson a part of their Music

City experience each year.

Named after President Andrew Jackson,

whose historic home, the Hermitage, is only

10 minutes from the dock, the General Jack-

son is a highly group-friendly vessel. With

four massive decks that allow for outside or

inside experiences, the boat hosts not only

show cruises, but is also a highly sought-after

venue for group events. Additionally, special

event cruises for Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras,

Tennessee Titans football games, Halloween

and even New Year’s Eve make the General

Jackson a popular choice for people looking

for a safe, memorable time.

Experiences aboard the General Jackson

include delicious meals, prepared by skilled

chefs. Midday cruises feature a delectable

Southern buffet, while guests aboard evening

cruises will enjoy an elegant three-course

dinner. Whether dining al fresco on the outer

decks or inside the beautiful Victorian The-

ater, guests will no doubt remember their

dining experiences.

The General Jackson Showboat, built by

Jeffersonville, Indiana-based Jeffboat, was

launched April 20, 1985 and was christened

July 2, 1985. The boat can hold 1,200 pas-

sengers and 157 crew members. The pad-

dlewheel riverboat stands 77 feet tall, mak-

ing it one of the country’s largest showboats.

The paddlewheel itself is 36 feet long, 24 feet

wide and weighs 36 tons. Two Caterpillar

3512 engines, each with 1050 horsepower

and 880 kilowatt generators, are responsi-

ble for powering the boat, which has a max-

imum speed of 13 miles per hour.

For more information on bringing your

group to the General Jackson Showboat, visit

generaljackson.com or call (615) 458-3900.

Stay and Play in Shreveport-

Bossier: Louisiana’s Other Side

Located in beautiful northwest Louisiana,

Shreveport-Bossier offers a mix of Cajun atti-

tude and the open spirit of Texas. The unique

blend of cultures goes beyond Southern hos-

pitality. There is a sincere desire to make sure

groups have a great time while experiencing

the musical heritage, riverfront entertain-


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General Jackson Showboat


Discover Norfolk’s vibrant waterfront city filled with cultural attractions, breweries, beaches, live music, and mouth-watering, coastal culinary dishes – all in a walkable downtown. With so much to see and do, the possibilities are endless. For outstanding group rates and personalized itineraries, visit us online or contact Melissa Hopper, Associate Director of Tour & Travel.

Planning a tour is easy at visitnorfolktoday.com/reunions. 1-800-368-3097

DISTINCTL

LY ORLYY NO FOLK

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Planning a tour is easy at visitnorfolktoday

, Associate DirMelissa Hopperoup rates and personalized itineraries, visit us online or contactoutstanding gr

downtown. With so much to see and do, the possibilities arbeaches, live music, and mouth-watering, coastal culinary dishes – all in a walkable

s vibrant waterfrDiscover Norfolk’

eunions..com/rt visitnorfolktodayy.

ravel.our & Tector of TTo, Associate Diroup rates and personalized itineraries, visit us online or contact

downtown. With so much to see and do, the possibilities arbeaches, live music, and mouth-watering, coastal culinary dishes – all in a walkable

ont city filled with cultural attractions, brs vibrant waterfr

eunions.

oup rates and personalized itineraries, visit us online or contacte endless. Fordowntown. With so much to see and do, the possibilities ar

beaches, live music, and mouth-watering, coastal culinary dishes – all in a walkableeweries,ont city filled with cultural attractions, br

1-800-368-3097

beaches, live music, and mouth-watering, coastal culinary dishes – all in a walkableeweries,

1-800-368-3097

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ment, fun attractions and mouth-watering

cuisine in Shreveport-Bossier. With six new

group experiences available, your group is

sure to have a great time. They include:

• All About the Roses: Engage your senses

and experience the world of roses at the

American Rose Center. Booking contact –

Carol Spiers; (318) 938-5402, ext. 223;

[email protected].

• Backstage Music Tour at the Municipal

Memorial Auditorium: Take a backstage tour

of Shreveport’s most iconic performing arts

venue, the Municipal Memorial Auditorium.

Booking contact – Teresa Micheels; (318) 429-

0628; [email protected].

• Music History Tour of Shreveport: Dis-

cover why Shreveport is the center of “The

Magic Circle,” and how music legends like

Elvis Presley and Hank Williams began their

careers in northwest Louisiana. Booking con-

tact – Johnny Wessler; (318) 393-3274;Shreve-

[email protected]

• The Perfect Pair – Wine and Chocolate

Tasting: Tantalize your taste buds with a

unique pairing of wines and fine chocolate in

the middle of paradise at Margaritaville Resort

Casino. Booking contact – Ashley Davis; (318)

752-1455; [email protected].

• Red River District and Sightseeing

Cruise: Experience Shreveport-Bossier’s his-

tory and city sights in this all-inclusive tour

of the Red River District. Booking contact –

Catherine Kennedy; (318) 673-5100; Cather-

[email protected].

• Science is Fun: Let Sci-Port: Louisiana’s

Science Center engage you in fun

experiences that debunk the myth that sci-

ence is scary and only for students. Booking

contact – Anne Lutz; (318) 424-8697;

[email protected].

Norfolk, Virginia

Bus groups can find something to cele-

brate year round in historic Norfolk, Virginia

– the heart of the Virginia waterfront. Nearly

100 events take place in Norfolk annually,

most of which occur in Town Point Park, the

city’s outdoor festival venue located on the

Elizabeth River. Some of the most popular

group-friendy events include Harborfest,

the bi-annual Virginia Wine Festival (occurs

in May and October), Bayou Boogaloo and

Cajun Food Festival, Jazz Festival and Vir-

ginia Beer Festival, to name a few. Bus

parking for most events is available at Har-

bor Park, the city’s baseball stadium.

For more information on Norfolk, phone

(800) 368-3097 or visit the Web site at

visitnorfolktoday.com. �


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Shreveport Skyline

Harborfest Norfolk


SEE IT. BET IT. TASTE IT.Shreveport-Bossier, Louisiana

shreveport-bossier.org/groups

Book New Group Experiences:

Erica Howard, group tour sales manager, will help you plan the perfect itinerary and select a hotel based on your budget. Call her today at 800-551-8682 ext. 104 or [email protected]

• All About the Roses• Backstage Municipal

Auditorium Tour• Musical Legends & Legacy Tour

• Red River District & Sightseeing Cruise

• Science is Fun• Wine & Chocolate Tasting

grandhotel .com1-800-33GRAND

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Your groups will be memorized and

entertained by the pure energy that

only a live performance can create. Be

it music, drama, dance, stand up comedy,

poetry, storytelling, or performance art from

around the world, seeing a show in person is

so much better than watching it on a screen.

Many live performance venues cater to bus

groups and would love to see your motorcoach

pull up to their door. Remember, many shows

have a limited run or are only presented on

specific dates, so you will want to be sure you

keep your eyes open for upcoming show

schedules. Many venues will be happy to keep

you up to date with their planned performances

and can assist with making your group book-

ings easy and your visits memorable experi-

ences for all.

The Musical Instrument Museum

Phoenix, Arizona

Looking for live entertainment for your

next tour? The Musical Instrument Museum

(MIM) in Phoenix is the answer. MIM is the

world’s only global musical instrument

museum. With more than 6,000 instruments

and associated objects on display, guests

can travel the world through music. How-

ever, a museum dedicated to celebrating

musical instruments would be incomplete

without live music. That is why MIM brings

music to life with performances during its

monthly “Experience” series and in its stun-

ning and acoustically superb music theater

MIM’s Experience series transports guests

to unique and fascinating geographic

regions for one weekend each month. The

celebration entertains guests with live

musical performances, dancing, story-

telling, workshops and more. This fall the

Experience series will showcase The Andes,

Italy, Germany and Scandinavia. Perfor-

mances are included with paid museum

admission and guests can take advantage

of fun group activities like MIM’s photo

booth. Additionally, MIM’s on-site restau-

rant, Café Allegro, prepares cuisine inspired

by the selected region and lunch options

can be included in a tour package.

With just 300 seats, the MIM Music The-

ater provides an intimate space in which to

feature dynamic performances of the finest

traditional, contemporary, instrumental and

vocal music worldwide. With only 75 feet

separating the front of the stage from the

back of house, every seat is incredible. MIM

hosts more than 200 concerts each year,

featuring both emerging and established

artists. On any given night, the museum

presents performers who range from Mon-

golian throat singers and Indian tabla play-

ers to Celtic fiddlers and Hawaiian ukulele

stars. They do not stop there. The roster of

talent extends to Judy Collins, Jimmy Webb,

Branford Marsalis, Lucinda Williams, Lyle

Lovett and many other American legends

who have made their own musical imprint

on the MIM Music Theater. Tickets to con-

certs in the MIM Music Theater are sold sep-


All the World is a Stage

Musical Instrument Museum


MIM.org | 480.478.6000 | Open Daily4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85050 (Corner of Tatum & Mayo Blvds., just south of Loop 101)

M U S I C A L I N S T R U M E N T M U S E U M

Ranked the #1 Phoenix attraction by reviewers on TripAdvisor, the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) features a collection of instruments, music, and objects from every country in the world. MIM is an entertaining, one-of-a-kind experience for visitors of all ages. With state-of-the-art audio/visual technology, a world-class theater, café, and museum store, MIM provides hours of enjoyment. Visitors to Phoenix won’t want to miss it!

Guided, self-guided, and behind-the-scenes tours are available. Motorcoach parking is free.

For group tour information and rates, e-mail us at [email protected].

VISIT PHOENIX’S #1 ATTRACTIONThe World’s Only Global Musical Instrument Museum®

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arately from museum admission, but can be bundled with a museum

tour package, based on availability.

For more information about tour and live entertainment options

at MIM, e-mail [email protected] or visit MIM.org.

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

If you love powerful music, classic tunes, gripping drama, exquis-

ite comedy and theatrical spectacle, then you and your bus group

should attend Lyric Opera of Chicago during their exciting 2015-2016

season.Lyric's 61st season offers bus and tour groups the opportu-

nity to be swept away by nine sensational productions, all of which

are new to Chicago.

Lyric rolls out the red carpet to groups and offers everything you

come to expect when you see a live performance – group discounts,

superior customer service, complimentary tickets for group leaders

and complimentary bus parking.

This season your group will enjoy Mozart's classic The Marriage

of Figaro (October 2015), the charming Cinderella (October 2015), the

electrifying Romeo and Juliet (March 2016) and Rodgers & Hammer-

stein's beloved musical The King and I (May, 2016) Superstar soprano

Renée Fleming sings the title role in select performances of the hilar-

ious The Merry Widow (November 14 to December 13, 2015) – perfect

for the Holidays. Be sure to ask about free pre-opera talks, local din-

ing options and weekday matinees. The complete 2015-2016 season

is available at LyricOpera.org.

Lyric performs in the beautiful Civic Opera House in the west loop

of downtown Chicago. Built in 1929, the opera house is available for

backstage tours where your group can marvel at the striking archi-

tecture, gorgeous costumes and take a stroll on a catwalk over the

stage.

You do not need to be an opera aficionado to enjoy a trip to Lyric. If

an opera is performed in a foreign language, Lyric always projects

Experience 15,000 Years of History!b

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PLAN YOUR VISIT TODAY!

800.991.2338

ears ofYYeExperience 15,000

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Bus Tours Magazine

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Norfolk, VVirginiapage 44

Railroadspage 88

Casino RResortspage 222

Volume XXXV, Number 4 • March/April, 2015

Featured:• Norfolk, VA on page 4• Railroads on page 8• Casino Resorts on Page 22


��

Lyric Opera of Chicago

��

English translations above the stage so you

will not miss a moment of the story. Also,

groups always enjoy trying new and unique

events; perhaps your group has an opera per-

formance on their "bucket list.” The group

sales team at Lyric is always happy to help

you find the best performance with your

group (and keep it in your budget, too).

It is never too early to make reservations

for the 2015-2016 season. The spectacle, the

emotion, and the thrill that Lyric can provide –

it is all there for your bus group. For more

information phone Joel at (312) 827-5927 or

e-mail [email protected].

Timber Lake Playhouse

Mt. Carroll, Illinois

In 1961, Timber Lake Playhouse was

established as a professional, non-profit sum-

mer theater company. The mission of Tim-

ber Lake Playhouse is to provide the best

expression of theater arts to the regional

community by presenting creative works that

entertain and inspire.

Since its first opening night on June 28,

1962, the Playhouse has presented more than

350 plays and musicals and nearly 4,000 per-

formances. TLP presents a challenging com-

bination of material each year: a mix of large-

scale musicals, new plays and contemporary

classics. The theater hosts annual educa-

tional workshops for children and teens in

conjunction with the Magic Owl Children’s

Theater’s productions of plays and musicals

for young people and their families. The Res-

ident Company consists of 35-40 perform-

ers, technicians and musicians selected by

interviews and auditions in cities across the

country. Numerous guest performers, direc-

tors and choreographers supplement the res-

ident company each season.

This summer’s season includes Hairspray,

The Big Meal, Peter Pan, Greater Tuna, Big Fish

and Big River. Contact the Timber Lake Play-

house Box Office at (815) 244-2035 for more

information or visit the Web site at

timberlakeplayhouse.org.

Timber Lake is proud of its national rep-

utation for excellence as a professional

summer stock theater. The theater has

served as launch pad for theater artists of

all kinds who have gone on to excellence

in film, television, on Broadway and stages

all over the world. �


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Timber Lake Playhouse

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Faith-based tours are becoming one of

the most popular niches in the tourism

industry and entire bus tours are often

dedicated to the subject of religion and spir-

ituality. Groups come to these attractions to

pray, meditate, learn and just enjoy the

expression of their faith.

The Shrine of Our Lady

of Guadalupe

La Crosse, Wisconsin

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe wel-

comes tens of thousands of visitors annu-

ally, including individuals, families and orga-

nized pilgrimage groups. As a religious

pilgrimage destination, the Shrine is a place

of thanksgiving for God’s many blessings,

offering solace and strength to the physically

and spiritually afflicted and providing a place

of rest and renewal for the weary.

Their Pilgrimage coordinator can assist you

in the organization of pilgrimages for a vari-

ety of groups: senior citizens, men’s and wom-

en’s organizations, First Holy Communion and

Confirmation candidates, school children, as

well as groups desiring a spiritual retreat.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is

located on the south side of La Crosse, offer-

ing ample free parking for buses, campers, cars

and motorcycles. There is no admission fee,

but free-will offerings are gratefully accepted.

At the Pilgrim Center, the Shrine has a gift

shop with a variety of religious articles and sou-

venir items; a café which offers breakfast items

and lunch meals, afternoon desserts and cof-

fee; and, an Orientation Room where visitors

can watch a 25-minute video about the Shrine

and about who is Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Along the outdoor trail, visitors can pray

at a variety of devotional areas, including an

outdoor Stations of the Cross, an outdoor

Rosary Walk and the Memorial to the Unborn

plaza. Within the Votive Candle Chapel, pil-

grims will find the largest candle rack in the

United States, and locally crafted stained-

glass windows. The top of the trail opens up

onto the church plaza, bringing visitors to

the doors of the Shrine Church.

A guided tour of the church is available

daily. Sunday Masses are at 9:30 a.m. (Latin),

11 a.m. (Hispanic) and 1 p.m. (English).

Weekday Masses, Monday through Saturday,

are at 12:15 p.m. The Sacrament of Recon-

ciliation is also available daily. Information

about events throughout the year and about

making arrangements for visiting can be

found at guadalupeshrine.org. You can con-

tact the Shrine by phoning (877) 799-4059.

Baha’i House of Worship

for America

Wilmette, Illinois

A stunning marvel of architecture, the

Baha’i temple located in Wilmette, Illinois is

a masterpiece of both style and serenity. The

temple truly stands out in the landscape – a

towering nine-sided building with exquisite

arches, windows and columns topped by a

glorious dome that looks as though is was

fashioned after intricate lace patterns. Added

to the structure are beautiful gardens, foun-

tains and landscaping. It truly is a place for

reflection, prayer and quiet contemplation.

The Baha’i faith was founded in the 19th

century in Persia and believes in the unity of

God, the unity of religion and the unity of


��

Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

humanity. The Baha’i Temple offers prayer

services daily at 9:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

These services are open to people of all faiths

and all are invited to recite, chant and enjoy

acapella singing. Guests are also invited to

stroll the peaceful grounds and auditorium.

For those who wish to learn more about the

Baha’i faith, a video presentation is offered

on Sundays at 1 p.m. In addition, the temple

has a welcome center and a book store.

The temple is one of only seven of its kind

worldwide. Pilgrims and visitors come from all

corners of the U.S. and world to visit, worship,

pray or just enjoy the architecture and beauti-

ful grounds. There is no charge to visit the tem-

ple. Donations are not requested or accepted.

Buses may load and unload on Sheridan

Road at the northwest corner of Linden Avenue

and Sheridan Road, with the buses coming

from the north, stopping at Linden and Sheri-

dan facing south. For more information phone

(847) 853-2300 or visit bahai.us.

Wycliffe Discovery Center

Orlando, Florida

At the Wycliffe Discovery Center you can

get a global view of Bible translation with-

out ever crossing an ocean. See the world

in a day. Visit Africa. Gaze at the exquis-

itely-carved image of a FareFare man.


��

Baha’i House of Worship for America

Examine the authentic clothing provided by the FareFare people

of Ghana as you listen to a recording of John 3:16 in their language.

Trek across Europe. Explore the stories of heroes from the past –

people like Franzisco de Enzinas who believed that no sacrifice

was too great for spreading God’s Word.

Track the lives of the people who made the Bible available in the

language that you speak. Set sail for the Orient. Interact with the

unique sounds and symbols of languages that challenge linguists and

computer software developers. Pause in the shade of the language

tree and visualize the millions of people who do not have a Bible in

the language they speak best.

Then culminate your world tour with a glimpse of heaven. Imag-

ine with the closing exhibit what worship will be like when people

from every nation, tribe and language gather around the throne to

praise God together. Bring your family, students, Sunday school class,

youth group and church leaders. Expect to be changed. As you engage

in the films, interactive computer programs, hands-on exhibits and

ethos of the Wycliffe Discovery Center, you will not only discover

more about languages and Bible translation, you will also expand

your appreciation and awe of God, Himself.

At the Wycliffe Discovery Center you may explore the world

without crossing an ocean, but your experience does not end there.

After your tour through this gallery, you will be inspired to get

involved. Become a partner in what God is doing to speak His

words of love to the millions of people still waiting to hear in their

own language.

The Wycliffe Discovery Center is open Monday through Friday

from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch and snacks are available at Café Wycliffe

from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Village Shop features exotic and unique

gifts from around the world. Reservations are required for groups of

10 or more. For information on tours and group activities, Phone (407)

852-3626 or visit wycliffe.org/discoverycenter.

The Living Word Outdoor Drama

Cambridge, Ohio

The Living Word Outdoor Drama, presented in a beautiful south-

eastern Ohio amphitheatre, is preparing for its 41st season, which

begins Friday, June 19 and runs through Saturday, September 26. The

Living Word Out-

door Drama was

founded in 1974 by

Biblical Dramatist

Frank Roughton

Harvey. This nation-

a l ly- recognized

drama brings to life

the passion of Jesus

Christ. The 400-foot

set was researched and designed by the founder – making it an authen-

tic representation of Old Jerusalem.

The Living Word Outdoor Drama is approximately 2½ hours, with

a 20-minute intermission. Concessions and the gift shop open at 6:30

p.m. A Behind The Scenes Tour is available at 6:30 p.m. The Front

Set Tour begins at 7 p.m. and is included with admission. Showtime

is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors or AAA mem-

bers, and $6 for children (4-12).

Special events also take place at the amphitheatre. Examples of

their special programming include shows for children, mainstream

musicals (The Music Man will be performed during their 2015 sea-

son) and special productions like the Jerusalem Experience, planned

for August 29, 2015, which will be a multi-sensory day of costuming,

carpentry, games, food and animals.

The Living Word Outdoor Drama encourages you to come and be

a part of their mission. For more information, phone (740) 439-2761

or visit LivingWordDrama.org. �


��

Wycliffe Discovery Center

The Living Word Outdoor Drama


A religious pilgrimage destination -offering rest and renewal for body and spirit along your journey.

Confessions, Mass, devotions daily | café and gift shop open 9a-4pCall (877) 799-4059; email [email protected]; visit,

guadalupeshrine.org | facebook.com/shrineofourladyofguadalupe

Stay in the middle of the

Magnificent Mile and experience all that

Chicago has to offer, right at your fingertips!

Included in Every Stay• Free Hot Breakfast• Clean and fresh Hampton Bed®

• Free WiFi in every room• Gym/Fitness Center use

Contact Our Friendly Staff By Phone or Email(312) 440-3764 or [email protected]

www.hamptoninnmagmile.comHampton Inn Downtown/Magnificent Mile

160 E Huron StChicago, Illinois 60611

��

Fridays and SaturdaysJune 19–September 26

740.439.2761 | LivingWordDrama.org

Ohio’s Only Passion Play41 Years of Faith

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Union County has the unique and perfect combination of agri-

cultural and industrial bus tour stops that will entertain any

group. Located just 30 minutes from downtown Columbus,

Ohio, Union County, it is an ideal hub and spoke location for attrac-

tions in central Ohio. It is easily accessed, yet is far from the ordinary.

Come stay and play in Union County, the perfect home base for your

next central Ohio tour.

Agriculture Destinations

Some of the favorite agricultural destinations include Mockingbird

Meadows, Mitchell’s Berries, three local wineries, distinctive farms and

the Leo Berbee Bulb Company.

Mockingbird Meadows (mockingbirdmeadows.com), which was

recently featured in the national magazine Mother Earth News, is a

small, family owned and operated farm located outside of Marysville.

The farm grows central Ohio’s only Medicinal Herbs (Community

Supported Agriculture) providing shares of their farm products, raw

honey and fresh healing herbs. Mockingbird Meadows also raises

honey, teaches workshops on traditional foods and natural healing,

and provides herbal consultations. Farm tours are also available.

Located near Plain City, Mitchell’s Berries (mitchellsberries.com)

provides visitors with a variety of premium home-grown produce

and a down-on-the-farm experience. Visitors can pick their own

berries from three acres of black raspberries, one acre of red sum-

mer and fall raspberries and one acre of strawberries. Be sure to check

out Mitchell’s Berries signature 1954 Chevy 3100 truck when you stop

by the farm.

Union County is lucky to have two unique and noticeably different

wineries in the county. Located in Plain City, Eldchrist Winery (eld-

christ.com) is housed in a restored farmhouse built in 1863. With six

grape varieties, Eldchrist provides 18 different wines to Union County

and surrounding areas. The winery offers tours, which include time in

their tasting room, and holds special events. Just eight miles north of

Marysville, Bokes Creek Winery (bokescreekwinery) grows and har-

vests their own fruit to produce a variety of wines. Bokes Creek spe-

cializes in semi-sweet to sweet wines featuring blackberry, pear, mul-

berry, concord and many more. Live music concerts occur every Friday

night at Bokes Creek. Located near Mount Vernon, Ravenhurst is ded-

icated to traditional methode champenoise champagne and hand-

crafted wines. Their award-winning wines are made from vinifera

grapes grown in Mount Victory.

Rainfresh Harvest and Fresh Harvests are farms embracing a new

approach to growing produce. Rainfresh (rainfreshharvests.com),

located outside of Plain City, uses a variety of green farming tech-

niques to produce the freshest food possible. Raised beds are used

to grow fresh herbs, and the green growing practices regenerate the

soil and preserve natural resources. Organic fertilizers are used while

rainwater is collected throughout the entire year to produce green-

house crops using aquaponics. Greenhouse tours are available on

select dates. Fresh Harvest (freshharvestfarmllc.com), in Richwood,

combines aquaponics and hydroponics to produce tomatoes, sev-

eral varieties of lettuce and herbs. Visitors of the farm will learn about

aquaponics, how it works and what can be grown using aquapon-

ics.

Another unique agriculture destination to check out in Union

County is KG Agricultural Products Inc. Located northwest of

Marysville, KG Agricultural Products processes an estimated 32,000

acres of non-genetically modified food-grade soybeans and 1,300

acres of organic soybeans for Japanese customers.

Fulton Creek Dairy (fultoncreekjerseycheese.com) is the perfect

place to learn about the dairy industry. The grain farm sits on 840

acres, 50 of those acres are dedicated to pasture where happy cows

and flocks of chickens earn their keep. Visitors can tour the farm, pur-

chase fresh items from the farmstead store and enjoy the serenity of

the land while walking around the farmstead.

Leo Berbee Bulb Company sells and ships the finest bulbs and

perennials all over the world. This is a family-owned and operated

company dating back to 1972, when Henk Berbee traveled to the

United States to open a wholesale distribution center for the parent

company in Holland. The bulb company supplies bulbs to a variety

of famous U.S. destinations including the White House, Michigan


Unique Charm

Union County, Ohio

Bluegrass Music

Avenue in Chicago and The Ohio State University. Tour the whole-

sale distribution operation, as well as their retail store, the Dutch Mill

Greenhouse. For tour information contact Marjolein Berbee, opera-

tions manager at (937) 642-0511, Ext. 12.

Other favorite agritourism stops include the MAiZE at Darby Creek

(mazeandberries.com) and Leeds Farm(leedsfarm.com). Like its name

alludes to, the MAiZE at Little Darby Creek is located along Little Darby

Creek and is just 10 miles south of Marysville. The MAiZE is a family-

owned, 125-acre farm complete with a corn maze and U-Pick berry

patch. The farm also has a petting zoo, hayrides, pedal carts and so

much more. Open during the fall and summer, the MAiZE provides

something for all ages throughout the central Ohio area and beyond.

With numerous barnyards and outdoor activities, Leeds Farm is the per-

fect fall destination. With hayrides, pumpkin patches, mountain slides,

straw forts, corn boxes, pig races, zip lines and more, everyone is sure

to have fun at Leeds Farm. Educational school tours and private par-

ties are available. Leeds Farm is located near Ostrander.

If visitors are interested in taking a break on the water, Wakeopolis

(wakeopolis.com) is the perfect destination. Wakeopolis is central Ohio's

first wakeboard cable park, where riders are pulled across a private lake

by an overhead electric cable system instead of a boat. All visits must

be reserved in advance. They offer special packages and pricing for

groups. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Industrial Destinations

Whereas there are plenty of agriculture stops visitors will want to

see, Union County is home to several large industrial corporations includ-

ing Honda of America. The Honda Heritage Center (ohio.honda.com)

in Marysville is Union County’s newest attraction. This museum offers

visitors a unique glimpse into the innovative history and growth Honda

has achieved throughout the past 55 years. Power equipment, auto-

mobiles, aviation equipment and robotics are some of the great variety

of Honda products displayed in the museum. The museum also honors

new Honda technologies such as a replica of the humanoid robot ASIMO

and the Hondajet.

Along with Honda, Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and a Nestle

Research and Development Center call Union County home. The Scotts

Miracle-Gro Company was founded in 1868 by O.M. Scott in Marysville.

Scott, a Civil War veteran, felt strongly about farmers having weed-

free fields; thus he formed Scotts as a premium seed company for the

U.S. agricultural industry. The company grew in the 1900s when it

began a lawn grass seed business for homeowners. More recently, in

1995, Scotts, the leading lawn care brand, with Miracle-Gro, the lead-

ing gardening brand, merged to create The Scotts Miracle-Gro Com-

pany. Today, Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is still headquartered in

Marysville and is recognized as the leader in home and garden prod-

ucts. The Nestle Product Technology Center in Marysville focuses on

ready-to-drink beverage development. It also has major programs in

coffee, instant beverages, ice cream coatings, confectionery, non-

dairy creamers and milk modifiers. More than 220 employees are based

there, providing expertise in beverage science, packaging and tech-

nology.

History and Art in Union County

Union County also has a rich history, and the county has been hon-

ored to have 17 Ohio historical markers, which identify and honor

important places, people and events that have enriched Ohio’s his-

tory. The first Union County marker was erected in 2003. The Union

County Historical Society (historyohio.com) is the perfect place to

learn more about the history of the county. It was established in 1949

and serves as the county

organization responsible

for the collection and

preservation of objects

relating to the history of

Union County, Ohio. Tours

through the society’s

museum are recom-

mended. During a tour vis-

itors can learn about Noah

Orr, the Union County

Giant and the Ohio Giant.

He toured the U.S. as a per-

former, standing nearly 8

feet tall, from the 1850s to

1882. He appeared with many leading circuses, shows, and muse-

ums. From 1878 to 1882, Orr traveled with the Lilliputian Opera Com-

pany, a group of dwarf actors and one giant who performed musical

comedies. Sadly, Orr’s career and life came to an end in 1882 when

he became ill. An Ohio Historical Marker was erected in 2009 at Orr’s

residence in Marysville. Currently, one of Orr’s chairs is on display in

the museum. Directly beside the museum is the Weller Log House

from the 1830s. The cabin, with frame addition, has been restored

and is furnished, as it would have been in the early 19th century.

Union County’s art scene is another must-see while visiting the

area. Housed in the historic Houston House, the Marysville Art League

(marysvilleartleague.org) is the perfect stop for the artsy person and

is sure to be enjoyed by all who visit. Visitors can walk around the

house to see paintings of the famous fashion designer, Lehman Eugene

Snively. Guests can also browse the gallery of local, talented artists’

work, take a canvas class with an instructor and receive a gourmet

cupcake or shop in the gallery. White Feather Gallery Boutique is

another local artistic favorite. The White Feather (whitefeathergar-

denevents.com) showcases exceptional artists from around the state

of Ohio. Guests can browse through the quaint rooms of a renovated

1930s space to view original paintings, one-of-a-kind sculptures and


��

Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Partridge

other unique items such as jewelry, candles and hats. White Feather

is the perfect location for a garden party with more than 3,500 square

feet of lovely garden area.

Dining in Union County

While visitors are discovering all Union County has to offer, they

are sure to work up an appetite. There are a variety of different din-

ing options to savor. Local restaurant favorites include Uptown Steak-

house, Hinkley’s, Cork Wine and Dine, Boston’s, Benny’s Pizza, and

Der Dutchman. Der Dutchman Restaurant is a fixture in Plain City and

a popular gathering spot for both the residents and people passing

through. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you are sure to dine

on wholesome, delicious home cooking. Before or after your meal,

make sure to stop by Carlisle Gifts, conveniently located beside Der

Dutchman. The gift shop has a little bit of everything from handbags

to soap. You are sure to find something for your home or family and

friends when shopping at Carlisle Gifts.

For a unique dining experience, visitors can enjoy lunch on one

of Union County’s covered bridges, the Pottersburg Bridge. The Pot-

tersburg Bridge is home to the Union County Covered Bridge Blue-

grass Festival

held annually

during the third

weekend of

September. The

festival captures

the alluring

sights, sounds,

flavors and aro-

mas of bygone

days when cov-

ered bridges

were more than

a way to cross

over water. Visitors of the festival can experience an elegant sun-

set dinner on the Pottersburg Bridge, breakfast on the bridge, blue-

grass music, horse-drawn wagon rides, old-fashioned kids’ games

and activities, bridge tours, The Marketplace with a wide array of

antiques and art, pie baking contest and auction, demonstrations

of 19th century craftsmanship, a community church service and so

much more.

The Pottersburg Bridge is just one of eight covered bridges in Union

County. Five of these bridges are five historic bridges all built in the

late 1860s and 1870s. This is well above average for the state of Ohio.

Four, excluding the Pottersburg Bridge, are still in use as a part of the

county highway system and are currently well maintained by the

Union County Engineer.

For a customized tour of Union County’s Covered Bridges, con-

tact Tina Knotts at the Union County CVB at (937) 642-6279.

Connecting the Covered Bridges of Union County is a part of the Ohio

Scenic Byway. The Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway is 40 miles of spec-

tacular views. When traveling on the byway, covered bridges are not

the only stop. The Big Darby Creek, parks, nature preserves, century

farms, cemeteries and historic homes can all be accessed from the

byway. When traveling on the Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway, visitors

can piece together Union County’s past to gain a more knowledgeable

understanding of its historic and agriculture importance by following

the byway signs.

Convention and Visitors Bureau

All are encouraged to discover, explore and savor Union County. It

is truly a place where small town charm, agriculture, industry and his-

tory come together. The staff at the Union County CVB is knowledge-

able, friendly and can assist you with planning a bus tour that will be

fun and engaging to your guests. They offer complimentary itinerary

planning services and can direct you to the best dining, attractions and

activities for your group in Union County, as well as hub and spoke ideas

for Columbus and other central Ohio locations. Step-on guides are avail-

able for a fee of $75 per bus. For more group tour information, log on

to unioncounty.org or contact the Union County Chamber of Commerce

at (937) 624-6279. There are one- to three day-itineraries as well as

prepackaged options on the group tour section of the CVB’s Web site.

You can also find downloadable group tour information and an inter-

active on-line visitors guide.

Where to Stay

• Comfort Inn – Marysville; (937) 664-0400

• Hampton Inn – Marysville; (937) 642-3777

• Holiday Inn Express – Marysville; (937) 738-7710

• Super 8 – Marysville; (937) 644-8821


��

Bridge Dinner

Pottersburg Bridge


Let us entertain you.Whatever the age or interest

of your group–dining, history.

architecture, festivals or simply

enjoying the beauty of the parks–

Kankakee County has it all and more.

Let us help plan a tour for your group.

815.935.7390www.visitkankakeecounty.com

COUNTYCONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

“I had a great time in Kankakee

County!”

“I really enjoyed this trip–and I

plan to return!”

Let us entertain you.


Whatever the age or interest







815.935.7390






815.935.7390











p return!”

joyth trith

p and Iplan to ret

“Ijoytrip–andlan t

”

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edye

www.visitkankakeecounty.comwww.visitkankakeecounty.com

COUUNTY

Cot

937-642-6279 [email protected] unioncounty.org 227 East Fifth Street, Marysville, Ohio 43040

Group Guides

Planning Assistance

Group Friendly Dining

Bus Parking

Souvenir Gifts

Reception Hospitality

Hotels

Tina Knotts, Tourism Director

Union CountyOHIO

Welcome to Union County, where small town charm and history come together with contemporary interests: covered bridges, wineries, festivals, hands-on agricultural tours, and more along the breathtaking Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway.

Minutes from Columbus. Miles from the Ordinary.

tknotts@unioncounty937-642-6279

unioncountyg .or tknotts@unioncounty

ifth Str 227 East Fg .or unioncounty

, Ohio 43040svilleeet, Maryifth Str

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Stuhr Museum

of the Prairie Pioneer

Grand Island, Nebraska

by Annette Felho

Just off Interstate 80, between Lincoln and

North Platte, Nebraska in Grand Island, is

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer. In the

summer, era-appropriate historical inter-

preter pioneers walk the streets. Railroad

Town welcomes travelers from every age

group, and on Memorial Day, Civil War sol-

diers replay history in front of visiting com-

rades. Grand Island’s hometown boy, Henry

Fonda’s house was moved here, years after

the Pony Express stopped in Grand Island.

Touring the grounds, there is a tranquil feel-

ing of greenery, quietness and embracing of

past pioneers, architecture and artifacts.

The 200-acre museum has a multi-facial

view of what once was with its special areas

including The Hornaby Family Arbor, Pawnee

Earth Lodge, Farm Machinery Building

(including a threshing machine), Fonner

Rotunda and Log Cabin. The Stuhr Museum

Building recently completed a $7.5 million

renovation bringing the building up to cur-

rent code and reopening the building in 2015.

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer is

open seven days a week, all year round with

the exception of January, February and

March when it is open five days per week.

This museum is located a few minutes

north of Interstate 80 at the intersection of

highways 34 and 281 at 3133 West High-

way 34, Grand Island, Nebraska 68801.

Take Exit 312 from I-80, travel north on

highway 281 to highway 34, then turn right

onto Tech Drive.

For information regarding Stuhr Museum

of the Prairie Pioneer group tours, contact

(308) 385-5316. Boxed lunches for groups

and group rates are available with a sched-

uled reservation. Additional information and

a calendar of events are available at

stuhrmuseum.org.

Miromar Outlets

Estero, Florida

Miromar Outlets has been voted “Best

Shopping Mall,” “Best Shopping District in

Southwest Florida” and “Best Factory Outlet

Shopping Center” for 15 years in a row, mak-

ing it the premier destination for group tour

shopping and dining. It is conveniently

located off Interstate 75, Exit 123 between

Naples and Fort Myers.

Your group members will find an unpar-

alleled collection of more than 140 top

designer and brand name outlets at Miromar

Outlets, with savings of up to 70 percent off

retail prices. Find great savings on top names

including Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH,

Neiman Marcus Last Call, Bloomingdale’s

The Outlet Store and many more.

Mediterranean architecture, majestic foun-

tains, koi and duck ponds, courtyards, lush

landscaping and covered walkways are the

perfect Florida environment for a shopping

experience not to be missed while visiting

southwest Florida. Helpful services include

an ATM, gift cards, complimentary wheel-

chairs, stroller rentals, an on-site BP station,

Bank of America and Wells Fargo Bank.

A lakeside restaurant piazza offers full-ser-

vice or casual dining indoors or outdoors and

there are several other dining options through-


��

Pawnee Earth Lodge at Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer

out the mall. Meal vouchers are available at an advance purchase price

of $8 and can be used at any of their participating restaurants.

If you notify in advance, friendly staff will greet you upon arrival

and provide your group with VIP bags including the latest discount

coupons and a store directory. They also offer special incentives for

you, the group

tour leader and

driver with

groups of 30 or

more and a min-

imum stay of

two hours.

Expand the

unique shop-

ping experience

for your group

by visiting Miromar Design Center, the only design center in south-

west Florida and one of only 19 major design centers in the nation.

It is the premier destination for design professionals and con-

sumers. The 45 furniture stores feature a worldwide collection of

the most desired names in furniture, fabrics, flooring, lighting,

kitchen and bath products, art, accessories and wall coverings.

For more information or planning assistance, contact Annette

White at (239) 390-7727 or e-mail [email protected].

Shreveport-Bossier Highlights

`The Louisiana Office of Tourism and the Shreveport-Bossier Con-

vention and Tourist Bureau released a new group tour itinerary enti-

tled “Louisiana IS Happy!” to showcase the unique combination of

people, cultures and things to do that contributed to Louisiana being

named the happiest state in the United States. According to the study

released by The Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch, Shreveport-Bossier,

located in beautiful northwest Louisiana, is the third happiest city in

the United States.

The Shreveport-Bossier itinerary includes stops at fun and engag-

ing attractions, picturesque shopping and flavorful opportunities to

taste local beers and traditional cuisines. The itinerary can be accom-

panied by stops in other neighboring happy cities such as Houma,

Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, Alexandria and Baton Rouge. Most

attractions are free of charge.

Groups start their visit by taking a historic journey from World War

I to present at the Barksdale Global Power Museum. The museum

features uniforms, dioramas, a barracks exhibit dating from World

War II and 25 aircraft and vehicles. Next, the group enjoys lunch and

unique shopping and entertainment at Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets

situated along the Red River.

Then groups stop at Shreveport’s first local brewery since Prohibi-

tion. Great Raft Brewing has a tasting room serving up its flagship beers

and free weekend tours. Following, groups tour the R.W. Norton Art

Gallery. The museum of American and European art spans four cen-

turies and is the Southwest’s largest permanent collection of American

Western art by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. Succeeding the

museum, groups take a historic drive and tour of Shreveport-Bossier

with a local step-on guide to learn about downtown attractions such

as riverfront casinos, Red River District, Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science

Center and the Once in a Millennium Moon Mega Mural.

` Afterward the tour stops in the oldest church in Shreveport. Holy

Trinity Catholic Church boasts Romanesque-revival design with its

main altar featuring Italian marble and more than 60 stained glass

windows with a European cathedral feel. It is on the National Regis-

ter of Historic Places. After checking into a local hotel, groups dine

at Ralph and Kacoos and enjoy a variety of Cajun cuisine—shrimp,

crab and crawfish platters; charbroiled fish and steaks.

For hotel rate information and more details, contact Erica Howard,

group sales manager at the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist

Bureau, at (800) 551-8682 ext.104 or [email protected].

Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Douglas Druick, president, and Eloise W. Martin, director of the

Art Institute of Chicago, announced recently that Chicago attor-

ney Irving Stenn Jr. has given the museum more than 100 draw-

ings from his exceptional collection of seminal works produced in

the 1960s. The drawings, by a who-is-who of contemporary artists,

represent a foundational period in the history of drawing when the

way works on paper were made, used and appreciated was under-

going radical change.

The gift includes works by Mel Bochner, Sol LeWitt, Brice Marden

and Fred Sandback, as well as pieces by Agnes Denes, Jasper Johns,

Donald Judd, Nam June Paik and Ellsworth Kelly. The 105 drawings

not only showcase Stenn's personal taste, vision and passion as a

collector but also offer a window into an era when artists reconsid-

ered and reinvented the medium of drawing. This gift is one of the

most significant and collection-enhancing bodies of contemporary

works on paper ever given to the museum.

“Irv has a discerning eye for art and tremendous stamina for search-

ing it out, and this makes his generous and enlightened support of the

museum especially potent," said Druick. "His remarkable gift greatly

enriches our holdings of contemporary prints and drawings and will

animate the Art Institute's galleries for many years to come."

Stenn began building an impressive collection of contemporary

painting and sculpture with his wife, Marcia, in 1971. Determined to

continue adding to the collection after Mrs. Stenn's death in 1999,

he shifted his focus to drawings, which can illustrate an artist's course

of thought and method of work. The sense of process and intimacy

they suggested greatly appealed to Stenn, as did their relatively small


��

Miromar Outlets

scale, which allowed him to display his entire collection on the walls

of his home.

Over his years of collecting, Stenn developed close personal rela-

tionships within the artistic community – including a long friendship

with Mel

Bochner – which

provided him

with a deep

understanding

of the broader

sweep of art his-

tory. Though he

did not set out

with strict para-

meters for the

collection, he

was drawn to works from the 1960s that had an organic connection

in style and content.

"I am so grateful to the people who have helped me by provid-

ing advice and introducing me to artists I might not have found

on my own," said Stenn. "The collection has benefited enormously

from the guidance and friendship of Art Institute curator Mark

Pascale, from dealers I have worked with – Donald Young, Rhona

Hoffman, and others in Chicago and New York – as well as from

friends and collectors, such as Gerry Elliot, Stefan Edlis and Lew

Manilow. I might never have put these works together if not for

their input."

The resulting body of work makes visible a definitive shift in

artists' approach to drawings. While continuing the early modern

practice of making drawings as artistic expressions in their own

right, innovators of the 1960s employed drawing in ways previ-

ously not considered art – as diagrams, instructions for fabrica-

tion, caprices suggesting movement in performance, or markers

of space and time. A selection of these types of drawings, which

enabled spatial and tactile perception to be recorded and concep-

tual concerns of a larger project to be explored, are among the

items in the Stenn collection.

German American

Heritage Center

Davenport, Iowa

The German American Heritage Center in Davenport, Iowa lies at

the foot of the Centennial Bridge, Route 67 that links Iowa to Illinois.

More 15,000 cars pass this corner daily; however, this museum has

been at the crossroads of local, regional and national history for more

than150 years.

The museum building is a four-story restored hotel, which served

German immigrants as they docked and came ashore from the steam-

boats that settled the area in the mid to late 1800s. Dozens of promi-

nent German citizens helped to build Davenport and its neighbors,

and their descendents in Scott and Rock Island counties still make

up more than 40 percent of the population.

Today their focus is telling the stories of these early pioneers –

men and women who endured tragedy and triumph, hard work

and rich rewards, success and disappointment. There is no seg-

ment of American culture that was untouched by this major eth-

nic group. In music, theater, sports, politics, art, architecture, edu-

cation, innovation and commerce the foundations they built for

succeeding generations are available now and housed here to be

traced and treasured.

Easily accessible by river cruise, car or chartered bus, their friendly

staff is eager to greet you and introduce you to the museum’s award-

winning exhibits and year-round public programming. They welcome

individual travelers, family groups

and entire tours and can link your

visit to other attractions in the

Quad Cities, including farm and

agricultural tours. They also offer

a fourth floor social room with gor-

geous river views, which is avail-

able for group use. You can even

return home with authentic Ger-

man products from the gift shop

to remember your visit.

Visit gahc.org for current

exhibit information and program

notes or phone to arrange your

visit at (563) 322-8844.The center

is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 12-4

p.m. and closed Monday.

Barefoot Landing

North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

If a trip to the Myrtle Beach area is your future, you will love Bare-

foot Landing, a place where your group can enjoy some great shop-

ping, dining and entertainment. Barefoot Landing combines the tra-

ditional retail functions of a shopping venue with attractions and

other leisure amenities to deliver an outdoor-centric recreational

experience. Its unique seaport-style architecture and 27-acre lake

combine to create a charming coastal seaside village atmosphere.

Boardwalks and bridges weave through the 100-acre nature-friendly

complex and its 100 specialty and retail shops, waterfront restau-

rants, and entertainment venues. More information about Barefoot

Landing is available by phoning (843) 272-8349 or logging on to

bflanding.com.


��

Art Institute of Chicago

German American Heritage Center


When Bob Dylan came to Nashville to make his classic album Blonde on Blonde, he brought unprecedented attention to the city’s ultra-talented musicians. Johnny Cash did the same with his network television show. This exhibit looks at the impact those events had on Music City and its Nashville Cats.

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Several new merchants, as well as an amusement area coming

to this North Myrtle Beach attraction just in time for the busy sum-

mer season.

The Dockside Village section of Barefoot Landing is getting some new

merchants and

seeing some of its

store renovated

and refreshed.

New merchants

iinclude:

• E a r t h -

bound Trading

Company, which

offers earth-

themed wom-

en’s clothing, footwear, and home décor, plus hand-crafted ethnic

and nature related gifts;

• Best Gift Ideas Ever, which enables its guests to create their own

unique pieces of personalized art through the use of photographs resem-

bling letters;

• Beef Jerky Store, which features a variety of jerky flavors for the

beef lover;

• The Stuffed Animal Store (opening soon), which carries children’s

favorite plush toys

• A Sliver Shack (relocating to Dockside Village from Boardwalk

Shops), which features current and fashionable silver jewelry from around

the world.

The Waterway Shoppes now has an artist collective boutique with

various works from local artists on display and for sale. It is called

the Innovations Artists’ Emporium.

New merchants coming to the Boardwalk Shops include:

• Carolina Hat Company, which showcases all types of headwear

including sporty, casual and sophisiticated;

• Tara Grinna Swimwear, which has been a respected name in

swimwear industry more than 25 years and is known for its unique

use of gorgeous prints and vibrant and exciting color palette

• Pepper Palace, which features hot sauces and flavorings rang-

ing from mild to hot, exotic to everyday.

The Lakeview Courtyard, a new shop and rides are joining Bare-

foot Landing:

• Colette’s Popcorn, which offers a large election of flavors to the

popcorn enthusiast;

• Barefoot Amusements, which will feature five family-style rides

and games.

In addition to new merchants joining Barefoot Landing, renova-

tions or remodeling have been done at Tassa Canbana, Designer Sun-

glasses, Sunglass Hut, Johnny Rockets, Bully’s Pub and Grill, and

Smokin’ Hot Grill and BBQ.

Country Music Hall of Fame

Nashville Tennessee

Put some music in your Music City visit. Whether your group is

filled with aspiring songwriters, ardent fans of music or history buffs,

the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is a must see desti-

nation for those with even the most casual interest in music. Not only

do the galleries provide a unique learning experience but an array of

hands-on tour experiences expand the story told in the museum’s

exhibitions.

A number of group tour programs provide a behind-the-scenes

look at the music industry. For example, Star For a Day begins on

Nashville’s famed Music Row with a tour of Historic RCA Studio B.

Following a guided tour, groups will gather around the legendary

microphone for a recording session with a professional sound engi-

neer. The experience concludes with lunch at the Wildhorse Saloon

where the group can kick up their heels and dance to their newly

recorded song.

Nashville is home to country music, delicious Southern cooking

and great hospitality. These three traditions come together in Leg-

ends, Lunch and Lyrics. This quintessential Music City experience

offers guests a classic Southern “Meat n’ Three” lunch while they are

entertained by songs, stories and writing insight from one of

Nashville’s most accomplished songwriters.

Stories Behind the Songs offers guests a peek behind the song

in a private session with a Nashville songwriter. The writer demon-

strates to the group how a song is created from concept to hit.

Sharing the Art of Songwriting allows an opportunity to write

your own song with the writer. Both sessions are followed by an

a u t o g r a p h

signing.

For the his-

tory buff on the

tour, the nearly

1 3 5 - y e a r - o l d

Hatch Show Print

is not to be

missed. The

group will see the

presses at work

and learn about the history of Hatch. They will also see the colorful,

centuries-old posters that put the shop on the map – as well as recent

works for their favorite entertainers. The tour concludes with an oppor-

tunity to get hands on with some of the tools of the trade as they print

their own keepsake poster.

To learn more about these programs and other one-of-a-kind

experiences, visit countrymusichalloffame.org. �


��

Barefoot Landing

Sharing the Art of Songwriting


Number 7 of a Series

“The Curious Tour Planner” is a questionand answer column that provides simpleanswers to simple questions involvingbus and group tours. It is patterned aftera very successful similar column in oursister publication, NATIONAL BUS TRADER,that has run for about 20 years with morethan 200 installments. We will accept rea-sonably simple technical or operating his-torical questions on bus and group toursand their operations by letter, fax, e-mailor telephone. Unless otherwise indicated,the simpler questions will be answeredby our editor, Larry Plachno, who hasowned buses and planned tours for morethan 50 years. If our staff is unable toanswer them, we will call upon our panelof experts. Names and addresses shouldbe submitted with your questions, butwe will withhold names from publicationon request. We reserve the right to modifyquestions to make them more useful toour readers.

Q. What are the most important thingsthat people are looking for in a lodginglocation?

–– Reader in Canada

A. My own experience over the years isthat most tour planners avoid both thehigher priced lodging as well as the leastexpensive motels. However, I have seenprices drop rapidly when the expensivehotels have empty rooms.

Beyond that, there was a recent survey onFacebook that suggested that traveler pri-orities are changing. For years “FriendlyService” topped the list. Today the top pri-ority overwhelmingly is free, reliable highspeed Wi-Fi in the guest rooms. Most busand group tour passengers today carry atleast one electronic device and some mayhave two or more.

Second on the list is breakfast. Over theyears we have found a wide range in thequalify of hotel and motel breakfasts. Thecold breakfast, similar to the traditionalEuropean style, is less likely to please trav-elers than a hot breakfast that mightinclude eggs and some type of meat andpotatoes.

Third and fourth on the Facebook list arefitness centers and lobby bars. While I per-

sonally would suspect that fitness centersare less important for bus tour passengers,I would tend to agree with the lobby bars.My own past experience with driving andescorting tours is that many of the passen-gers head to the bar after arrival to “getthe road dust out of their throats.”

Q. How close are we to autonomous driving and driverless cars?

–– Several Readers

A. The best sign to watch is where thebig corporations are putting their moneyand effort. That suggests we are closerthan we think.

Accident avoidance systems for buseshave already reached the point wherethey can fully stop a bus if the car in frontstops.

ZF already has an electronic parking sys-tem for trucks with two trailers that is con-trolled by a driver with a pad device stand-ing some distance away.

The ZF acquisition of TRW should be com-pleted by mid-year. This involves a lot ofmoney and one of the major reasons givenfor this merger is developing technologyfor autonomous driving. Do not forget thatZF is a major supplier of components forbuses and trucks.

There already have been studies on pro-gramming autonomous cars. One of themore interesting suggests thatautonomous cars could improve traffic butprobably will not. The reason is becausedrivers are more willing to drive fasterthan passengers are comfortable with.Hence, driverless cars will probably beprogrammed to drive slower to help keeppassengers comfortable.

One of the more telling situations is thatthere has been a little bit of falling outbetween Uber and Google. Uber’s smart-phone apps for riders and drivers arebased on Google Maps. Back in August of2013, Google Ventures invested $258 mil-lion in Uber and put more money into Ubera year later. As a result, Google’s chief legalofficer joined the Uber board of directors.

Uber was working towards developing itsown autonomous vehicle technology.Google is already testing a ride-hailing

service with employees it developed, pre-sumably in conjunction with its driverlesscar project. This would put the two hugecompanies in direct conflict.

All of this tends to suggest that this tech-nology is coming and big companies areputting in a lot of money and research intothis area.

Q. Are you aware of any operations ortours that have equipment beyond a sim-ple galley to provide meals on board?

–– Bus Operator

A. This kind of thing does happen but isrelatively rare. We did hear about a touroperator in Alaska who served meals ona long, articulated bus that I understandmay have involved driving through aremote area.

We are also aware of bus operators inEurope that have transformed the lowerlevel of a Neoplan double-deck coach intoa bistro-type arrangement complete witha bar. At one point, Setra in Europe offeredan on-board vending machine, but thatwould have been limited to snacks anddrinks.

Longer distance scheduled service busesoften plan a brief stop at a location wherefast food is available. Passengers simplybring their food back to the coach and eatit there.

Q. If you were planning an advertise-ment in BUS TOURS MAGAZINE to attractbus and group tours, what would youinclude in the ad?

A. Location, Location, Location. The firstthing tour planners will look for is yourlocation to find out whether you arelocated where they are currently runningtours or where they are planning tours forthe future.

Second is to direct the ad specifically tobus and group tours in words and photos,and include a special offer if you can. Third,with today’s modern technology I wouldinclude a Web site with a response formor some way for the tour planner torespond using e-mail.

Answers not credited to other individualsare provided by Larry Plachno, Editor. �

THE CURIOUS TOUR PLANNER


20 Tips For Bus Tour Planners

by: Dr. Charleen Jaeb

20 Tips for Teaching and Training

From the time we are born until the time

we die we are teaching and learning. The pur-

pose of this column is to help you enjoy and

become better at both.

Individuals learn by reading, writing, lis-

tening, watching, doing, memorizing, prac-

ticing, questioning, discussing, and making

mistakes. Even very bright people can excel

in one way but fall short in others, so it is up

to the trainer to teach using a combination of

teaching methods. The 20 tips will give exam-

ples of them and will address situations that

affect bus tour planners, group leaders, tour

escorts, drivers as well as bus and tour com-

panies. Similarities to the ways college stu-

dents and trainees in the bus business learn

are discussed.

The information comes mainly from my

experiences after 40. I earned an AA, BA, MBA,

M.Ed., and JD and taught business classes 15

years at Cleveland State University, Baldwin-

Wallace College and Cuyahoga Community Col-

lege. Prior to entering college at age 39, I was

a stay-at-home mother and area sales manager

for World Book, selling encyclopedias, hiring

and training sales representatives. After retir-

ing from teaching I became a group tour plan-

ner then joined Lakefront Lines as group leader,

tour escort and marketing associate and

became a columnist for BUS TOURS MAGAZINE.

When addressing large groups such as stu-

dents in the classroom and passengers on the

bus, I usually use the advanced organizer

method; e.g. l tell them what I will tell them,

tell them, then tell them what I told them. The

first part on the bus includes a welcome, intro-

ducing driver and myself, previewing the day

and showing a safety video. Reminders come

when they exit the bus and find out when to be

back on it and what will happen between times.

1. Be prepared. Professors come to each

session with a list of the people signed up for

class, handouts with the information to be

covered such as grading and attendance poli-

cies (syllabus), lecture notes and include time

for questions. Bus tour planner trainers pro-

vide similar information plus give out bus

company catalogs, homework assignments,

job description, company policies, procedures,

company history and often give a walkabout

tour of the company facilities.

2. Do not assume all students or trainees

are prepared. Not all of them bring proper IDs,

writing instruments, know where and when

to show up and are qualified to be there. Con-

firmations are strongly recommended. A pro-

fessor once told me to consider how assume

is spelled to realize why you should not do it.

3. Qualifications for bus tour planners: Tour

planners who are group leaders learn mostly

from their predecessors, other group leaders

and bus tour planners at the companies they

work with. They require little formal training.

Bus tour planners who work for bus or travel

companies should be high school graduates

(college preferred) have experience working

with customers, be computer and software

literate, have a good appearance, references,

and excellent written and oral communica-

tion skills.

4. Bus tour planner training: New hires are

usually trained by the group or retail tour man-

ager assisted by tour planners they will work

with or replace. They learn by the methods

mentioned in the second paragraph. Great Day

Tours, the largest bus tour operator in Ohio,

has a customized software program designed

especially for training their tour planners.

5. Qualifications and training for bus trip

escorts: Prospective tour escorts should be

intelligent, dependable, healthy, enthusiastic,

love travel and helping people. Allen Kenney,

president of Great Day Tours, has 25 tour

escorts who accompany all their bus tours with

the exception of express runs. They are required

to dress professionally in blue jackets and com-

plete in-house training which includes CPR and

how to use a defibulator, company policies and

procedures, safety rules and dealing with the

public. They ride on a Great Day tour observ-

ing an experienced trip escort. Then they escort

a bus tour being observed by an experienced

escort. Trip escorts are often former group lead-

ers or educators.

6. Qualications for commercial bus drivers:

Before being hired in the United States they usu-

ally need a CDL license, good driving record

(ideally on a bus), pass DOT physicals, back-

ground checks and drug screening and be able

to obtain a passport to cross Canadian borders.

7. Commercial bus driver training: Large

bus lines often require several months of in-

house training. Greyhound’s average train-

ing takes a minimum of five weeks in three

stages. First stage is orientation where they

meet above requirements as well as com-

puter based training and a mastery test on a

competitive basis. If they pass that, they go

to Phase II Driving School which includes 13

days of intense classroom instruction and

behind-the-wheel training, logging more

than 40 hours of driving time and learning

professionalism in both behavior and dress.

Phase III students become Greyhound

employees by learning policies and proce-

dures, interacting with passengers, includ-

ing 70 additional hours of behind-the-wheel

driving under the guidance of a professional

Greyhound Motorcoach Operator. Chris

Goebel, President of Lakefront Lines, Ohio’s

largest motorcoach operator, told me they

have 102 motorcoachs and about 75 other

mini buses, school buses and vans. They do

their own bus maintenance and repairs and

require extensive pre-trip bus inspection

training, explained in tip 16.

How People Learn

8. Learn by reading. Just as professors fur-

nish students a syllabus with dates, subjects

discussed, grading and classroom policies,

office hours and how to contact them, bus

company trainers furnish information about

the company, their job description, tour books,

competency tests, and application forms.

Informed individuals usually read bus and trade

magazines, newspapers, instruction manu-

als, contracts, legal and tax forms and books.

9. Learn by listening. Trainers should

make sure they can be heard. Easiest way

to find out is ask your audience if they can

hear you, whether you are speaking on a

bus microphone or in a class. If your voice

cannot be heard, order a microphone. Con-

sider those with problems hearing to move

closer or make sure outside noise is not

competing.

10. Learn by writing. If you have poor

handwriting, learn to type or print. Take notes

while in training. Bus tour planners should

study bus catalogs and flyers from destina-

tions to see how trips are described. Be pre-

pared to write flyers for group leader’s trips,

and correspond with customers, vendors,

management, write press releases and com-

pose group and send out bulk e-mails to

group leaders and prior individual customers.

You cannot believe how much I have learned

writing and doing research for this column.

11. Learn by watching demonstrations.

Tour planner trainees watch company tour

planners on the job setting up trips online and

on the phone, making suggestions to group

leaders for destinations, accommodations and

events, handling people, composing trip con-

tracts and flyers for group leader trips on the

computer, watching how filing is done, and

observing tour planners interview vendors to

determine who to visit, list in their tour cata-

log and approach for FAM trips.

12. Learn by practice and repetition. Top

athletes, musicians, performers in any field

will admit the secret of their success is prac-

ticing regularly. I learned typing and short-

hand in high school. After graduation I

worked five years as a secretary. Those skills

have remained with me in future endeavors,

although my speed has slowed.

13. Learn by mnemonics. These are mem-

ory devices that help learners recall larger

pieces of information, especially in the form

of acronyms, songs, steps, stages, parts,

phrases, and rhymes. For example, children

learn the alphabet by singing the ABC song

and the states in alphabetical order by singing

the 50 Nifty United States song. They learn

phrases like “Stop, Look and Listen” and

acronyms EGBDF (Every Good Boy Does

Fine) for lines in music. Adults learn by

acronyms like SWOT (Strengths, Weak-

nesses, Opportunities, Threats) in analyzing

products, FAST (Face drooping, Arm weak-

ness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911) for

recognizing signs of a stroke. Rhyming

phrases such as “Arrive alive. Don’t text and

drive” and “Take the bus. Leave the driving

to us” are easy to remember. Creative train-

ers and students can make up their own.

14. Learn by asking questions. Students

and trainees should be encouraged to ask

questions either during or after the lesson

(depending on size of group and choice of

the trainer.) Ask them immediately or before

the next session. If it is not feasible to ask the

teacher, ask others in the class. There are no

dumb questions, only dumb answers.

15. Learn by making mistakes. College

students make mistakes by not attending

class, especially the first day of class. Employ-

ees make mistakes by being absent or tardy

from work or by not following instructions.

If your mistake calls for an apology, give it,

agree it was wrong and offer a way to recitify

it. Try not to make it again. There is an old

adage that says “Fool me once, shame on

you, Fool me twice, shame on me.”

16. Learn by making checklists. Many

mornings I make a list of six things I want to

accomplish that day. As a trip escort and

group leader I went over a one page check-

list which I read before leaving home for trips

and before and after boarding the bus. Tour

planners use a checklist in gathering infor-

mation to keep in their records from places

to visit to publish in their tour catalogs.

Employers use check lists when hiring

employees. The most comprehensive check

list I have seen is the one Lakefront Lines

uses when training their approximately 250

motorcoach drivers on a Pre-Trip Inspection

of their bus before leaving on each trip. It

includes 62 items to check in four areas:

Engine Compartment, Bus Exterior, Driver

Area, and Bus Interior. The form must be

signed and dated by the trainer and the

trainee acknowledging the trainee has

learned how to perform them.

17. Evalations: College students are

evauluted by attendance, attitude, test results,

completion and quality of assignments, and

following rules. Bus tour planners are eval-

uated similarly as well as on appearance,

communication skills, making wise deci-


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sions, and human relations with customers

and colleagues. Persistance, determination,

integrity, and respect of others are qualities

for the success of college students, bus tour

planners, trip escorts and drivers.

18. Evaluators: Bus escorts are evaluated

by passengers, drivers and supervisor. Bus

drivers are evaluated by their passengers,

escorts, and supervisor. Bus tour planners

are evaluated by group leaders, vendors, col-

leagues and managers. College students are

evaluated mainly by their instructors and to

a lesser degree by their fellow students.

19. Rewards for group leaders and bus

company employees: Group leaders can

travel free when and where they go and who

goes with them, take FAM trips, receive train-

ing, and inviations to bus company annual

events. Bus escorts also receive the oppor-

tunity to travel to many locations, get paid

for it and can work part time. Full time salary

or hourly employees are rewarded with pay

checks, raises, promotions, benefits, bonuses

based on profitability and discount for bus

travel.

20. Rewards for college students. Students

who learn the “game of school” enhance their

college experience. They generally win schol-

arships, get good grades, make lifetime

friends, learn more than they ever thought

possible but realize how little they know,

desire to learn more and encourage their chil-

dren to attend higher education. They meet

a diverse group of people, learn their cul-

tures, travel overseas, get a good job that

pays well and give back to, and improve life

on earth.

As the first person in my family to gradu-

ate from college, I was surprised and hum-

bled to receive an Outstanding Senior Award

from Baldwin-Wallace and the Besse Award

for Teaching Excellence as Cuyahoga Com-

munity College. What I learned was shared

with my college children and grandchildren,

and freshman college students. Since many

readers may be college students or have them

in their families, I would like to hear what you

or they learned that made your or their col-

lege years successful. I am planning to write

some tips on making your time in college and

afterward more meaningful. I will incorpo-

rated them an article about succeeding at the

“game of school” and e-mail you a copy of it

in appreciation of your comments when I fin-

ish it this year. Contact me with your sugges-

tions at [email protected]. Thank you.�

With degrees from four universities, Dr.

Charleen Jaeb has been a business pro-

fessor at Cuyahoga Community College.

After her retirement in 2000, she became

a trip planner for the CCC retirees and Mid-

dleburg Heights Women’s Club, filling as

many as 15 buses each year. Jaeb and her

husband escorted trips for Lakefront Lines

in Cleveland, Ohio. She says, “It was won-

derful and somewhat unbelievable in

retirement to be able to do what you love

to do and get paid for doing it.”


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Adsmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Algoma Central Railway . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Atlantic City CVA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Boys Town USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Cabarrus County CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Columbia Gorge Interpretive

Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Cornwell’s Turkeyville U.S.A. . . . . . . .15

Country Music Hall of Fame . . . . . . . .29

Dancing Horses Theatre, The . . . . . . . .7

Durbin & Greenbrier

Valley Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Elk City CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Fair Oaks Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Galesburg CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

German American Heritage Center . .29

Grand Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Hampton Inn by Hilton . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Holiday Inn Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Little Falls CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Living Word Outdoor, The . . . . . . . . . .21

Maumee Bay Lodge

& Conference Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Mid-Lakes Navigation Co. . . . . . . . . . .29

Miromar Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Musical Instrument Museum . . . . . . .15

New Orleans CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Presque Isle Downs & Casino . . . . . . . .2

Shreveport-Bossier Convention

& Tourism Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe . . . .21

Starved Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Turkey Hill Experience . . . . . . . . . . . .15

U.S. Army Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Union County CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Visit Kankakee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Visit Norfolk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Wild Horse Saloon/

General Jackson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Advertiser’s Index��

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Documents

Bus Tours Magazine May/June 2015